Connor Ronan could be set for an Ireland call-up after an impressive showing in front of Stephen Kenny in St Mirren's win over Hibernian today.
The youngster scored the winning goal at Easter Road to give the Saints a hard-fought victory, and was met in the dressing room by Kenny, who placed him on standby for last November's internationals.
The on-loan Wolves midfielder faces stiff competition to get into the Ireland squad, but he shares a solid relationship with Kenny from their days together with the under-21 team and could be heading for a first senior call next month.
St Mirren have notoriously struggled to close out games this season, but the 23-year-old was ever-present across the park, and netted his fourth goal of the season to earn them all three points.
And manager Jim Goodwin believes that he must now get a call-up for the senior squad, after admitting his own frustrations over his player missing out for the Portugal and Luxembourg games.
"Connor doesn't score many bad goals and that wasn't one either," Goodwin said after the match. "And in front of the Irish manager as well.
"Hopefully that will do enough for Connor to get him in the Irish set-up because I've been banging the drum for him for quite a while so please God that gets him the recognition he deserves.
"I just met [Kenny] down the stairs there and he's a really nice man, I've a lot of time for him - I'm always talking up Connor in the press.
"And Stephen knows Connor well enough from the under-21s as well so he's worked with him."
Goodwin also believes that his Irish defensive duo Charles Dunne and Joe Shaughnessy could add to the Ireland set-up, and he argues that Ronan should have at least been in the squad last time out.
But with friendlies against Belgum and Lithuania on the horizon, the chance could be there for him to finally make the step up.
His former teammate Jamie McGrath earned six caps while playing in the St Mirren team before a deadline day move to Wigan during the week.
"There are a lot of good young players coming through the Irish system now," Goodwin continued. "Jamie McGrath got that recognition playing for us.
"And I'd be delighted for Connor Ronan if he could get that as well because it makes my job easier when we're recruiting young players.
"They're going to get an opportunity to flourish here at St Mirren, Jamie McGrath has done it, Connor hopefully will this time or next and then ideally Charles Dunne and Joe Shaughnessy will as well."
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